This invention broadly relates to racks for simultaneously spacing, holding and sealing a plurality of containers and to a method for using said racks to seal the containers and agitate the contents of the sealed containers. Specifically, it relates to racks having a base for supporting the containers, at least one means for aligning the containers in a substantially uniform spaced relationship, a lid for sealing the orifices in the aligned containers and an assembly or clamping system for forcing the lid down upon the container openings as well as maintaining in fixed relationship the base and means for aligning the containers. In one specific embodiment, it relates to test tube racks having a base for the test tubes, perforated plates substantially parallel to the base and spaced above the base to space the test tubes and hold them upright, a lid having a portion which fits over, onto, into, or in other cooperative relationship with the test tube openings, a flexible sealing sheet disposed between the lid and the test tube orifices to seal them, and a device for clamping the lid and sealing sheet into place over the test tubes. Still more specifically, this invention relates to the structure employed to seal the openings of the test tubes, and to the method of sealing involved therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,782 discloses a test tube rack having a hinged top that swings down over a racked row of test tubes and is then latched in place. The underside of the top is lined with a flat sheet of sealing material. Other patents of interest in this connection disclose a test tube rack having a lid with caps attached (U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,997) or stoppers attached (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,098,721 and 3,752,651).
Threaded or snap-on single container caps having resilient seals are known. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,582,566, 3,219,222 and 3,272,369 all disclose threaded caps having resilient portions which deform in conformance to the lip of the container and thus effect a seal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,959 discloses a foam-backed resilient seal for a snap-on container cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,323 teaches the use of axially flanged or grooved cylinders for spacing the component plates in a test tube rack.
In various chemical processes, particularly analytical procedures, a large number of batch reactions are desirably performed simultaneously with a minimum of manipulative steps. Such steps generally entail either mixing or suspension of materials, or both. It is important to perform the mixing or suspension step without leakage of container contents while ensuring rapid and complete mixing or suspension. Furthermore, it is often desired to perform the step using the container in which the remainder of the process occurs. Hence test tube or reaction container racks are needed which allow the technician to seal a plurality of containers simultaneously and then agitate the whole structure until suitable mixing or suspension has been achieved. Further, when the rack and lid are to be reused it is imperative that the device provide for a rapid exchange of containers and seals without incurring cross-contamination or the necessity of washing any of the rack components.
The prior art has failed to satisfy the foregoing requirements. The known test tube racks do not provide for ready reuse in that no provision is made for providing a renewable sealing surface. Further prior art racks having lids with a flat, rigid-backed sealing material often fail to seal satisfactorily, particularly when employing containers with irregular lips, e.g. disposable test tubes. Lids having protruding caps or stoppers can be time-consuming to align and effectively seal.
Therefore, it is a general object of this invention to provide a rack for holding a plurality of containers such as disposable test tubes, and for rapidly and effectively sealing the containers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a rack having a lid for sealing a plurality of containers held in the rack, the rack being constructed for the rapid renewal or replacement of a flexible sealing member interposed between the lid and orifices in containers held in the rack.
It is another object of the invention to provide a rack for holding a plurality of containers wherein the container orifices are sealed by stretching and holding a flexible membrane over the openings in the containers.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method using the rack of the invention whereby a plurality of containers can be sealed and agitated.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of this specification taken in its entirety.